Dragons & Vampires campaign

Medusa says that finding someone blind won’t work to remove the curse, they need to see her to contend with it in the way Illusius suggested. We throw a lot of ideas around, but Illusius reminds us that the petrification curse has just worked on a demigod and the last wielder of Chaos magic. Onyx says that Lucia has special eyes but Lucia tells her that Truesight lets her see things but it doesn’t protect her from them. Onyx suggests that Rupen use Divination to get in touch with Life, giving him 25GP to do so - Life tells Rupen that they’ll need someone immune to petrification and reminds him that she and Lord Valgore were trapped by petrification.

Rupen reports back and we discuss the difficulties of finding someone immune to petrification or becoming so ourselves. An argument breaks out between everyone, with Merla chastising some people for not being willing to help, where Onyx gets upset about their sister Bynrora not still being there tied to the tree and eventually rolls around to an argument about Rupen and Onyx not getting on Lord Valgore.

The conversation has turned unproductive - Jhin goes to check the tree line and Lucia checks the tree where Bynrora was tied and sees clear signs that her rope was completely burned through.

Lysandra starts to call to Medusa, telling her that we don’t have the means to help her right now and we’d appreciate any information about killing Athena, since that could also help with the curse.

Suddenly, the nom nom jumps off Lucia’s shoulder and runs into the cave. She calls it but it doesn’t come back. Lucia enters the cave tentatively, but doesn’t see the nom nom. Onyx and Lysandra and Cassian follow her in - Merla is still at the entrance and Lucia tosses her the scroll of Revivify and tells her to stay here in case anything goes wrong. Inside the cave, we hear Medusa shrieking that the nom nom is bouncing on her and in her hair. Lucia calls to her telling her she’s sorry about the nom nom, it’s very excitable but not dangerous and asks to come in to get it - Medusa wants her to come and remove so Lucia grabs Onyx and Lysandra’s hands, Lysandra grabs Cassian and they make their way into the cave together.

They move forward, Lucia able to see and guide the others, who are keeping their eyes closed. Medusa guides them forward down a corridor and some winding stairs as it starts to get naturally dark. They round a corner and suddenly Medusa comes into full view in front of Lucia - she looks demonic, her snake hair hissing, and a wave of dark serpentine energy emanates out from her. Lucia braces for petrification but instead Medusa transform into a pretty woman with dark red hair. She starts crying and reaches out and hugs Lucia.

The magical darkness disperses and everyone makes their way out of the cave. Illusius and Medusa hug each other and cry. Lucia asks Medusa what happened and she’s not sure - it seems like Lucia is immune to petrification. We discuss what to do next and Medusa and Illusius would like to come with us to the Feywild. We agree to go get the griffons then cast the Teleportation Circle scroll and start making our way there as thunder rumbles in.

There is a bright blast of light and everyone is slammed into the ground and paralysed except for Onyx. Around us appear some of the gods - the storm god Vera Tempest, the war god, the fey goddess Einwar - as well as the Six, wounds miraculously healed. All of them emanate an immense rage, an icy wrath. In unison they command Onyx - “Kill the gorgon, take her head - she must answer for her crimes.”

Onyx asks what is happening - they say that she has claimed many victims and their blood calls out for justice. Onyx says that they have claimed victims too. The gods tell them “you are a demigod - fulfil your divine purpose, justice must be served. Onyx says Medusa’s just a victim, she didn’t have a say, but the gods tell them that she’s not, the blood of the innocent weeps from the ground and that Medusa has committed many sins and claimed many lives. Onyx starts to tell them that they have too but the gods show her a vision of all the horrific things she did as Athena’s priestess - child murder, mutilation. The gods tell Onyx not to delay any more.

Onyx tries to refuse to do it but the words get stuck in their mouth twice. The gods tell them to fulfill their divine purpose. After a minute, they move to stand over Medusa, who looks terrified, but then tell her that they won’t kill her and manage to refuse. The gods look disappointed, leaving one by one. Lady Wisdom is last to leave, shaking her head as Onyx’s feathers begin to fall to the ground - they have failed their test for divine ascension.

Onyx rejoins the group who are released from paralysis - they’re delighted to have their old body back but enraged by the fickleness of the gods. Merla reaches out to Einwar, distraught at being left helpless on the ground and disturbed by the feymother’s coldness. Einwar tells her that Onyx failed not because they refused to kill Medusa, but because they were not decisive. The gods never intended for Medusa to die - Onyx’s test was to firmly and swiftly insist on showing mercy. Merla also confirms with the feymother that we are all, including Medusa, still welcome in the feywild.

Disheartened, we trudge back to the griffons and use the Teleportation Circle scroll to return to the feywild. As we arrive, Lysandra Sends her father a message, giving him the information we got form Medusa (that only Athena’s own child can kill her) and chastising him for his part in the paralysis. Medusa and Illusius are welcomed and shown to a house of their own and we meet with the feymother, despite Merla’s current misgivings about her. We share the information that we got from Medusa and the feymother asks if we’re ready to go to the Hells and then the Abyss to retrieve Altarian’s soul. Despite having had sylvan healers bring them back to full health, Onyx and Rupen insist on finding a tavern and taking a break. This causes an argument within the group, with Merla (unhappy being in the feywild after witnessing the feymother’s cold side) and Lysandra (frantic to get to Altarian’s soul) particularly vocal. We eventually find a compromise of them having an hour to have a drink. Lysandra sits with Altarian’s body instead while Merla wanders restlessly around the village. She eventually meets Lord Valgore, who consoles her on Einwar’s behaviour.

Rupen, Onyx, Jhin and Lucia go to the tavern, where after some stilted attempts at conversation Rupen gets drunk talking to a barman and shares his sob story, then calls Onyx over to share theirs, then Jhin, then Lucia. We manage to sober Rupen up as their hour passes then return to the feymother.

As the group comes back together, Onyx attempts to leave quietly but is noticed. They tell us that they’re done - that they can’t do this anymore. We say our goodbyes, sorry to see them leave but understanding that they need time. Rupen gives them his robin necklace and Merla asks where they’re going - they’re not sure and they say maybe they’ll see us in the Abyss but who knows.

Einwar reminds us of the time - wishing Onyx well and telling them they’ll always be welcome here in the feywild, we leave them behind and teleport to Hell, arriving in the throne room we previously saw the Six assaulting, with Athena resplendent and Bynrora by her side. Athena is wearing a crown and Bynrora announces her - she’s now Queen of the Hells, having united all seven layers under her rule.

After some brief pleasantries, Athena tells us she wants to discuss the terms of taking us to the forgebuilder. She initially offers safe passage and to give us Altarian’s soul in exchange for not telling anyone about the information Medusa gave us - she says that she just wants her son alive and to have a relationship with him.

Jhin asks her about Kukoken and she tells him about its history, revealing that she brokered the deal with his grandfather, who got the blade from the Forgebuilder then betrayed him by changing its allegiance to the Serpent - Athena offers to switch its allegiance back, or to take its allegiance herself. Merla asks about the fey halflings and she laughs at Ainwya for not solving this problem and starts to tell us about what the fey orcs did with remnants of Salabana’s magics.